Nanjing Huiji Temple

Nanjing Huiji Temple

Nanjing Huiji Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing.

Nanjing Huiji Temple

Nanjing Huiji Temple was first built during the Southern Tang Dynasty and was known as Tangquan Chan Monastery. It was destroyed in the flames of war during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty. Only parts of it were rebuilt during the Guangxu era, on a much smaller scale than before. The extant relics in the temple include foundation stones, stone inscriptions, an ancient well, and three ancient ginkgo trees.

The three thousand-year-old ginkgo trees in Huiji Temple. One is named “Thousand-Year Drooping Nipples,” standing over 20 meters tall with a girth of more than 7 meters, requiring seven people to encircle it. It has seven aerial roots, the largest of which is over 2 meters long, with a maximum diameter of 30 centimeters and a circumference of 90 centimeters, resembling giant breasts hanging in the air, evoking a sense of mystery in observers. The second is called “Pillaring Heaven and Covering Earth,” referring not only to its height of 24 meters but also to its remarkably vast canopy, covering over half an acre of ground, providing shade for a thousand people in summer. The third is named “Struck by Lightning and Revived.” This tree was struck by lightning and half of it was burned during the Xianfeng era, yet it miraculously recovered years later, hence its name.

Upon entering the temple gate, you are immediately drawn to the scene before you—willow trees swaying along the lakeside, as if welcoming pilgrims who have come from afar. Walking further, stepping on lush grass and hearing the rustling sounds, you can almost feel that all the living things here are happy about your arrival, each greeting you in their own way. Not far from the temple gate stand three tall and upright ginkgo trees, which can only be described as lush, strong, and beautiful—truly one of a kind. As you approach the ginkgo trees, you’re startled by what you see: the center of one tree is hollow. Incredibly, how can such a hollow tree grow so well? It is a living tree. Legend has it that long ago, a bolt of lightning split the tree in half, yet strangely, it did not wither and die. Instead, it automatically fused back together and survived tenaciously, which is why people also call it the “Exorcising Evil” tree.